Four Key Factors to Watch in the War for Talent

From Bricks to Brains

Not long ago, an organization was measured by the value of its physical assets. Now shareholder value is driven by knowledge and innovation—a shift from bricks to brains. Position your organization to consistently acquire top talent. Simplify the complexity of the new on demand workforce by focusing on four key factors: velocity, visibility, volatility, and variability. Everyone's going green these days—including individuals, households, schools, communities and business of all sizes. Even global corporations are rapidly lining up to make commitments in energy reduction and sustainability.

1. Internet Technology Accelerates Velocity

The network power of the Internet shifts time and space. Cycle times shrink. More silos of information connect daily. Technology easily moves tasks across borders. Processes are outsourced to cut expenses. Worker mobility shifts the workplace from the office to the home. Jobs and people connect online. Labor supply chain velocity increases.

2. Individuals Become Empowered with Visibility

The job market is transparent with full visibility for all participants—applicants, agencies, HR and line managers. All parties have immediate access with a global reach to compensation data, job listings, and employers. People can apply to dozens of positions in hours. Or subscribe to have positions sent to them. Individuals become increasingly more empowered in a seller's talent market.

3. Specialization Increases Volatility

With the instant ability to change jobs, your specialized workforce is more volatile. Talent sources can quickly evaporate. Demand and mobility undermine forecasting with unpredictability. Empowered people, highly focused on career goals, are no longer bodies. Their profiles reveal highly specialized skill sets that require sophisticated search and sourcing to find. And they work on demand.

4. The On-Demand Workforce Increases Variability

When you view labor as talent it's no longer an expense—but an asset. Talent perceived as inventory means you can use just-in-time and lean manufacturing techniques to meet business demand with a ready supply of human capital. Consistent enterprise processes for professional, hourly, and contingent resources mitigate the variability of the new on demand workforce. Now you must align your workforce to goals and projects much faster with a higher degree of consistency. And the aggregated quality of each assessment, recruiting, and staffing decision ultimately defines your performance.

See the Results, Realize the Value

Leading organizations use Taleo for enterprise talent management because they can achieve immediate return on investment in the millions. With Taleo, you can accelerate velocity, improve visibility, and adapt processes to meet volatility and variability:

• Increase velocity in talent deployment on average by 30 percent.
• Reduce administrative costs and focus on strategic action.
• Build the process, establish metrics, and demonstrate value.
• Find and retain top talent while delivering bottom line savings.
• Align your on demand workforce to business goals for improved performance.

Leading organizations of all sizes have chosen Taleo for talent processes and technology since the publication of the War for Talent. Our hundreds of clients and hundreds of thousands of users have processed more than 50 million candidates worldwide. We can simplify even the most complex supply and demand challenges so you can win your battle for the best professional, hourly, or contingent talent.

Tags: Talent Management